About Maalaea Maui, Hawaii
Maui has a saying, 'Maui no ka oi'--meaning 'Maui is the best.' Your Maui condo is the perfect place to start your adventure. Explore the Iao needle, take a hike in the West Maui mountains, visit Haleakala at sunrise, wind your way to Hana, or just enjoy the long stretch of Sugar Beach in front of the Maui condo. There's a bike trail from Kihei to Kahalui and golf courses all over the island. Parasailing, windsurfing, snorkeling and scuba diving are a few minutes away. We love the whale watch cruises and snorkeling trips to Molokini and the return to our Maui condo home at the end of the day. You'll have a great time whatever you choose to do!
Activities at our Condo:
Tennis - The condo has two tennis courts available for use to owners and guests. You'll need to bring your own racket.
Shuffleboard - There is a shuffleboard court that is a fun diversion for those who know how to play.
Swimming - There are two swimming pools at the condo, one smaller one just outside our front door and one larger one for laps near the west side of the complex. The pools are not heated and depend on the sunshine for warmth, it may be wise to bring a rash guard or warmer swim top during the winter months. The condo has plenty of pool and ocean toys to play with. Of course, there is always great swimming in the ocean and you may get a chance to see some aquatic life as well!
Here's a few highlights of activities close to our condo:
Maui Ocean Center - Just a 15 minute drive from the condo is one of Hawaii's best Aquariums. You can walk through the stages of reef formation and see the aquatic life that lives in each depth of the ocean. There is a turtle pool with baby turtles, a tide pool with hands on touching and viewing, a hammerhead shark viewing area, a humback whale educational room (complete with a bubble net where the whale "eats" you), and a large shark pool with several types of rays, sharks, tuna, and tropical species of fish. There is even a 360 degree tube you walk through and view all the fish. If you plan to stay for a while, this buy the family week pass - it is much more economical. Also, this is a great rainy or windy day activity for the kids
Whale Watching Tours - By far the most popular, and most enjoyable activity to do in Maui is whale watching. Between late November and May the Humpback Whales migrate from Alaska to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary where they mate and give birth to their offspring. Humpback whales are known for their majestic activities such as breaching, spy hops, pec flaps, blows and more. Sometimes you can even see their activity while sitting on the lanai at our condo (using binoculars)! We have used the Pacific Whale Foundation for tours because they are educational and our dollars go towards ongoing whale protection, education and research.
Maui Canoe Club - Every day you will see the local high school kids practicing traditional Hawaiian canoeing. If you'd like to give this a try, you can become a provisional member of the Maui Canoe Club (which is about a mile walk down the beach) and try it yourself! Several of the owners at Maalea become provisional members during the peak season. They have one hour paddles and you frequently see sea turtles and other wildlife while out paddling.
Surfing - Its hard to come to Hawaii and not at least be curious about the birthplace of surfing. Maui is home to some of the biggest surf competitions. The Billabong Pro Maui happens every December in Honolua Bay. This is one of the triple crown of women's surfing. Maui's north shore is also home to a lot of surfers and kite surfers. For those that are not quite ready for the big waves, you can take lessons from Maui Wave Riders in Kihei. Their motto is "specializing in beginners and cowards".
Stand Up Paddleboarding - This new sport was also born in Hawaii. It uses longer boards that are more stable but can still surf for those that like to do that. It is a great core workout and Maalea Bay, just outside our condo, is a great place to practice and learn. On calm ocean mornings, you can paddle on the canoe course. Kids can even join you on the board (make sure they bring a lifejacket). Maui Wave Riders rents paddle boards and teaches lessons as well. This is another great way to visit some of the under water paradise found in Maui.
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving - All of the guide books say not to miss the underwater treasures of Maui and they are right! Snorkeling Molokai or some of the other reefs on the island is a great way to get up close to the sea life in the National Marine Sanctuary. Molokini is an ancient volcanic caldera with over 250 marine species and clear water. It also has abundant amounts of tourist boats going there for snorkel trips. We like using the Pacific Whale Foundation because our dollars go farther towards their efforts at research and preservation of marine life. They also have a great program for kids or "keiki" - a jr. naturalist program that helps educate kids about the marine life. If you've never snorkeled before, don't be shy, they help you learn the basics and get you out enjoying the abundant sea life. If you want to dive deeper into the reefs, check out the Maui Dive Shop or one of the other great providers in Kihei. Off of Makena beach there is a great turtle sanctuary and coral gardens, there are also several other well known dive spots around Maui if this is a sport you enjoy.
Golf - There are 17 courses between Maui and Lana'i and some within minutes of the condo. Most of them are connected to a resort in South Maui such as the Hyatt, Marriot, or Grand Wailea. If you are golf afficionado, every year the PGA tour hosts its opening games in January at Kapalua, Maui. It's a bit of a drive but if you want to watch Tiger Woods in action, this is the place to be.
Spas and Yoga - Since Maui is a vacation destination, it also tends to have lots of "relaxation" activities. If you would like to relax and do some yoga, there are several good studios in Kihei, depending on your preference and style. You can also drive up the road to Pai'a, where there are several major yoga/pilates/meditation centers. If you feel like giving yourself a big treat, schedule a massage or treatment at the Grand Wailea. Their spa is rated one of the top 10 spas in the country and they will definitely pamper you.
Hiking and walking - Just outside our doorstep is the beautiful Kealia Beach which many people walk and run in the morning. Just a quarter mile west of the condo is Kealia Pond, a national wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary. Located along the south central coast of the island of Maui between the towns of Kihei and Ma'alaea, this 691-acre wetland is home to the endangered Hawaiian stilt (ae'o) and Hawaiian coot ('alae ke oke'o). The refuge is adjacent to Kealia Beach, which is a nesting ground for the endangered hawksbill turtle.
A 40 minute drive away from the condo is the Iao Valley State Park, this is a lush rainforest ecosystem with nice easy walks and great Hawaiian history. If it is too hot at the beach, this is a nice cool spot to spend an afternoon exploring.
A longer 2.5 hour drive will take you to Haleakala National Park. You can drive all the way to the top and a short hike will take you into the crater. The landscape and environment is very different than the coast. There are horseback riding, hiking and overnight backpacking opportunities in Haleakala. Many people try to get up early to see the sunrise over the mountain. On a clear day you can see the Big Island and the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. There are outfitters that also do bike tours down the mountain after a sunrise visit. If you prefer to do the cycle on your own you can rent both road and mountain bikes from South Maui Bicycles.
On the way up to Haleakala, you'll drive through the Uplands of Maui where most of the local agriculture occurs. A fun diversion to make a day of the trip is to visit the Surfing Goat Dairy, where you can get fresh goat cheese and enjoy some local ambiance.
Shopping - Lahaina is a 45 minute drive from our condo and it has a very Hawaiian flavor. It is the old Hawaiian capital and has abundant history. There are some good restaurants and many tours depart from here. There is also several art galleries, historic luaus and a giant banyan tree in the center of town.